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We’re all a little giddy around here today. This morning we learned that we won a 2008 Peabody Award, for our program on Rumi. This is broadcasting’s highest award, and for us it is a sign of arrival. Speaking of Faith launched almost five years ago as a weekly show. In the beginning, many simply didn’t believe that it would be possible to put a program on religion on the air without alienating, inflaming, or proselytizing.

It has been a great adventure pulling that off. And it has been a team effort to say the least. I include our listeners in that - listeners who encouraged and supported us and their public radio stations along the way, saying that, yes, this subject is too important not to risk finding a way to do it differently and get it right. I’ve sensed this past year that we are hitting our stride, finding our voice, in so many ways, and this award feels like a confirmation of that.

We will keep risking, experimenting and, I hope, getting better and better. But, for today, we’re celebrating and not getting much work done! Take a look here at the great company we’re in.

I am rector of an Episcopal parish in Connecticut. My husband is a part time assistant priest and a full time professor of psychology at Yale. We love your program and listen to it on our way to church every Sunday. We would love to use many of the programs for adult education because we find the topics you cover and the perspectives you include to be so fascinating.I say congratulations on your award. You deserve it! Keep up the good work!

This piece that won the award has the story about the Dervishes......it was a famous NPR "driveway moment" for me...except it was it my kitchen with my coffee since I hear your show in No. Virginia Sun am

Love SoF, am a podcast listener as none of the local NPR stations carry your show. Hopefully that will change, although I'm now rather addicted to listening whenever I want. Celebrate and cherish your award.

Congrats on the Peabody! Loved Rabbi Sasso today. A member of our church choir told us this morning that her family is giving her her birthday party this afternoon and she has requested Krista's book as her gift. The word is indeed spreading!

"In the beginning, many simply didn’t believe that it would be possible to put a program on religion on the air without alienating, inflaming, or proselytizing. It has been a great adventure pulling that off."

What made “pulling that off” a lot easier is completely ignoring and keeping out of the program and thereby de-legitimizing anyone who might feel alienated, inflamed, or proselytized and completely ignoring and keeping out of the program anybody or anything that might question the very premise of religious faith. Congratulations! You have hewn faithfully to that most venerable and durable practice of all faith based traditions: the negation of dissent.

il consigliere, Perhaps you have not heard our programs with atheists about the time-honored traditions of atheist thought ? They include our show on Doubt with Jennifer Michael Hecht, http://speakingoffaith.publicr...and a very recent show on Humanism with Greg Epstein, the Humanist chaplain at Harvard. http://speakingoffaith.publicr...

There are many more nonbelievers and nominal believers among the guests we've featured. Speaking of Faith is a big tent, and it's not all about "religion." It also is about "ethics, ideas, and meaning."

But I don't want to argue too persuasively with you beacuse I want you to know your dissent is perfectly welcome!

What I meant was you keep out anybody or anything that might question the very premise of Ms Tippett’s program –the notion that religious faith is to be exalted and celebrated; that it is somehow admirable to blindly believe things that fly in the face of logic and reason devoid of any evidence. The notion that religion –after having thoroughly discredited itself throughout history by underwriting barbarous acts and proclaiming demonstrable falsehoods true and demonstrable truths false -still deserves an honorary seat as an equal partner at the table of intelligent 21st century discourse.

Hecht and Epstein both toe that tepid Tippett party line and are therefore not only allowed on the show but are trotted out as token certified atheist talismans to ward of critiques of pro faith bias.

As big as you claim SOF’s “big tent” to be there appears to be no room for Messrs. Dawkins, Harris and Hitchens. Do you fear that when they apply the blowtorch of reason to your papier-mâché tent pole it will collapse? Your fear is well founded.

“Speaking of Faith is not all about "religion." It also is about "ethics, ideas, and meaning." I notice you’ve left out “truth”. Rightly so. That it is not about.

And yet, all that said, I still do believe SOF is deserving of any and all awards that can be bestowed on it because it is one of the best produced shows on radio. It comes even closer to achieving what Hollywood with multi million dollar budgets, spectacular special effects and stellar casts has often tried but failed to achieve: polishing a turd.

When I listened to the unedited version I was thinking to myself that you (SOF) is going from strength to strength. I lvoe the show but this one rates as my favourite so far. No wonder it won an award - well deserved. congrats all 'round.

I eagerly await your program every week. Everyone on SOF brings their own creativity, openness and warmth; it's almost palatable. Krista brings thoughtful research and deep listening to the center of each interview and it's fun to hear both the unedited and the finished product! SOF, you are all teachers of mindfulness. I am grateful and thank you.